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Saturday, August 31, 2013

O+ 8.15, a 5-inch quad core Android phone is free at Smart Communications All-In Plan 1200. The O+ 8.15 has a 5-inch HD (720 x 1280) display and a quad core processor, making it an interesting choice at Plan 1200. You can read more about the O+ 8.15 at this link.

Friday, August 30, 2013

The other day I was writing about the Ramos X10 Mini Pad, which is clearly an Apple iPad mini look-alike. The is another iPad mini look-alike which has hit the market, and this one comes closer to the mark, the MSI Primo 81.

The MSI Primo 81 has a 7.85 inch, 1024 x 768 pixel IPS display, which has the same size, resolution and aspect ratio as the display on the iPad mini. The MSI Primo 81 also comes in a aluminum case which is just a hair bit thicker than the iPad mini.

MSI Primo 81 - 200 x 135 x 7.8mm

Apple iPad mini - 200 x 134.7 x 7.2 mm

At 330g, the MSI Primo 81 comes pretty close to the 308g weight of the iPad mini too.

The MSI Primo 81 ships with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and is powered by a Allwinner A31s Quad core 1.0 GHz quad-core processor and PowerVR SGX544MP2 graphics. The MSI Primo 81 comes with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage. Inter storage is expandable via a microSD card slot. Power is provided via a adequately sized 3500 mAh battery. The Ramos tablet has a VGA front camera, a 2MP rear camera, a HDMI port, WiFi and Bluetooth, but lacks GPS. Ironically, with HDMI out and USB-on-the-go support, this might actually make a better laptop replacement than the iPad mini.

Street price for the the MSI Primo 81 is at Php8,500, which is almost half the cost of an Apple iPad mini.

Thursday, August 29, 2013

HTC's new, dual SIM, Desire 600 smartphone is now available in the Philippines. The good looking 4.5-inch Android smartphone boasts Sense 5, a quad core processor and BoomSound tech for a price as low Php17,190, with a full HTC warranty. But, that all sounds better than it is.

The 4.5-inch display is a qHD (540 x 960), in a world where we expect HD (720 x 1280) displays from mid-range smartphones. The quad core processor is a Qualcomm S200 unit, which is much slower than the the dual core Qualcomm chipset you find on the lower priced Sony Xperia SP. Similarly, the Adreno 203 graphics processor on the Qualcomm S200 is about as slow as the come these days. The radio's are also limited to HSPA only.

Still, the Qualcomm S200 chipset has proven to be very power efficient, and the modest 1860 mAh battery on the HTC Desire 600 has been rated by GSMArena as providing 53 hours of standby time with one hour of calls, web browsing on WiFi and video playback per day. This is a very good figure indeed.

Now, the entire phone is made of plastic, but it feels nice and solid with a nice matter finnish. It wont embarrass you if you pull it out in a crowd. No cheap looking plastics here. The HTC Desire 600 is roughly the same size as the HTC One.

So, should you buy this phone? For 17K, you do not get LTE, not even HSPA+. If the dual SIM feature does not appeal to you, the Sony Xperia SP is a much better choice with its HD display and LTE radio, If you want a dual SIM phone, you will find plenty of lower cost offerings from Cherry Mobile, Starmobile, Huawei, ZTE and Lenovo which are much better value for money propositions. It is a nice phone, just one I have a hard time recommending.

The number of tablets in the local market from second and third tier manufacturers is staggering, so I just try to cover the ones that catch my eye. One of these is the Ramos X10 Mini Pad Tablet and its claim to fame is that it looks suspiciously like a Apple iPad mini.

The Ramos X10 Mini Pad has a 7.85 inch, 1024 x 768 pixel display, which has the same size, resolution and aspect ratio as the display on the iPad mini. The Ramos X10 Mini Pad also comes in a aluminum case. Now the is it actually a bit wider and thicker than an iPad mini:

Ramos X10 Mini Pad - 200 x 138 x 8.9mm

Apple iPad mini - 200 x 134.7 x 7.2 mm

The Ramos X10 Mini Pad also feels a lot heavier than an iPad mini.

The Ramos X10 Mini Pad ships with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and is powered by a Actions ATM7029 quad-core processor and Vivante GC1000 graphics. This is the same chipset used to power the Cherry Mobile Fusion Bolt. The Ramos X10 Mini comes with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage. Inter storage is expandable via a microSD card slot. Power is provided via a adequately sized 4000 mAh battery. The Ramos tablet has a 2MP front and a 5MP rear cameras, a HDMI port. and WiFi, but lacks Bluetooth and GPS.

Street price for the the Ramos X10 Mini Pad is at Php7,500, which is less than half the cost of an Apple iPad mini. The Ramos X10 Mini Pad does cost almost twice as much as the Cherry Mobile Fusion Bolt which actually has a sharper display and identical speed parts.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

In a few days I will be posting buyers guides again. Luckily for us buyers, it is getting harder and harder to write them. One of the mid-range entries will be a full sized phone from one of the top tier smartphone manufacturers. For the past two months, that post has been held by the impressive ZTE Grand X Quad V987. Priced at Php11,500 this 5-inch smartphone offers a HD (720 x 1280) display, a quad core processor, a gig of RAM and 8 GB's of expandable storage. It powered by an adequate sized 2500 mAh battery.

This month two new Lenovo offerings, the S820 and P780 look to challenge the ZTE V987 Grand X Quad. In terms of specifications, the three phones are nearly identical. The Lenovo S820 is a bit more expensive, at Php12,600 and actually has less storage at just 4 GB's. The storage is also user expandable though.

The Lenovo S820 has smaller display, so it should have a more compact form factor. But this is not the case:

ZTE Grand X Quad V987 - 141 x 70 x 8.9 mm

Lenovo S820 - 139.5 x 69.7 x 9 mm

Given the nearly equivalent size of the two phones, I would rather go with the one with a larger display, higher internal storage and lower price. Suffice it to say, the Lenovo S820 is not going to be knocking out the ZTE Grand X Quad V987 from the list.

What about the Lenovo P780? This phone brings in a large 4000 mAh battery to the picture, but this 5-inch smartphone is massive:

ZTE Grand X Quad V987 - 141 x 70 x 8.9 mm

Lenovo P780 - 143 x 73 x 10 mm

If you really want the 4000 mAh battery, which is much larger than the 2500 mAh battery on the ZTE Grand X Quad V987, than the Lenovo P780 is the one for you. If you value the metal casing, the Lenovo P780 is also a great choice. But the Lenovo P780 is also a more expensive offering at Php13,500.

It is fairly easy to dismiss the Lenovo S820. The Lenovo P780 is another matter altogether. Which phone do you think is a better choice, the ZTE Grand X Quad V987 or the Lenovo P780?

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

The third of Cherry Mobile four new Cosmos series phones has hit the market earlier than expected. The Cherry Mobile Cosmos S is a 5-inch Android smartphone with a HD display. As compared to the Cosmos X and Cosmos X2, it has the same quad core MediaTek MT6589 processor, but clocked 25% faster a 1.5 GHz. It also has the largest battery among the three at 2500 mAh. Unlike the Cosmos X and Cosmos X2, the Cosmos S is not a dual SIM phone (even if Cherry Mobile promotional pictures indicate that it is a dual SIM phone), and the internal storage is not expandable.

In terms of price, the Cosmos S is priced at Php10,999. This is 1K higher than the Cosmos X, and Php700 less than the Cosmos X2.

Quick specifications:

Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)

5-inch HD (720 x 1280) IPS display

16 GB internal storage (not expandable)

1 GB RAM

1.5 GHz quad core MediaTek MT6589 processor

PowerVR SGX544 graphics processor

18 MP autofocus primary camera with LED flash

8 MP front camera

HSPA+

WiFi

Bluetooth

A-GPS

2500 mAh battery

The Cosmos S is a thin, but is tall and wide for a 5-inch smartphone at 147 x 72 x 7 mm.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Sony has launched the low cost Xperia M handset in the Philippines. While the Sony Xperia M comes in both single and dual SIM models, the current offering is the single SIM version. The dual SIM version will be following in a month or so.

The Sony Xperia M is a nice compact phone. Priced at Php10,490 it will not win any value for money contests compared it to the local brands or smaller Chinese manufacturers, but a very good choice if you want a branded phone. The Sony Xperia M has a reasonable sharp 4-inch FWVGA (480 x 854) display. Inside you will find a dual core Krait processor using the Qualcomm MSM8227 Plus chipset. This is the same chipset you find on the Nokia Lumia 520, 620 and 720 handsets.

This chipset is one of the newer power efficient 28 nanometer chipsets. You also get HSPA+, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC. At the back is a 5 MP camera. While modest by todays standards, it does come with software image stabilization, HDR and panorama functions. Move on to the side of the phone, and shutterbugs will be happy to find a dedicate camera button. Powering all this is a large 1750 mAh battery. The Sony Xperia M wont be making it to my top phone charts which is heavily biased to value for money options. But the Xperia M is a very well rounded package which should be a good choice for someone looking for a well made, well balanced, compact smartphone.

BlackBerry Q5 launched in the Philippines. The launch was delayed by the floods last week. The BlackBerry Q5 is the lowest cost BlackBerry 10 device at Php18,690. BlackBerry is offering a Php2,000 peso discount plus the trade-in value of your old phone (working or non-working). Depending on what you are trading in, this could be a good deal of bad deal. If you have a non-working phone, this would be a pretty good deal.

Given that the BlackBerry Z10, with a suggested retail price of Php29,900 can now be found with a full warranty for as low as Php19,800, I suspect that you will see the BlackBerry Q5 selling for below its Php18,690 even after the current promo is over.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

The Lenovo P780 is a 5-inch Android smartphone with a 4000 mAh battery. For the buyer interested in this phone, those are the two numbers that matter. There is no Lenovo magic here. The case is a tall, wide and relatively thick 143 x 73 x 9.95 mm. Put it beside other 5-inch smartphones and the Lenovo P780 looks massive by comparison. At 176 grams, it is not something I would want to carry every day. But compromises have to be made for the 4000 mAh battery.

I don't have the final street price for this device, but I understand it will come it at about Php14,000. The specifications are decent for the price with a HD display and a quad core processor.

Quick specifications:

Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)

5-inch HD (720 x 1280) display protected by Gorilla Glass

4 GB internal storage expandable via a MicroSD card slot

1 GB RAM

1.2 GHz quad core MediaTek MT6589W processor

PowerVR SGX544 graphics

8 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash

12 MP front camera

HSPA+

WiFi

Bluetooth

A-GPS

USB On-the-go

4000 mAh battery

The phone also comes is a sturdy looking metal case. If you are willing to put up with a bit of bulk and heft for a long battery life, this could be the one for you.

Friday, August 23, 2013

The Cherry Mobile Flare has been the lowest cost phone I have recommended since November of 2012. This is probably when we can say the locally branded smartphones wars started to hit high gear. Since than, the 4-inch, dual core offering from Cherry Mobile has remained relevant, having received a operating system upgrade to Android Jelly Bean awhile back. It's price of Php3,999 is still as a bargain today as it was last year.

Arc Mobile 500D

It does have more competition. The Arc Mobile Nitro 500D offers a 5-inch smartphone priced at Php4,199. The price between the Nitro 500D and Flare is so close, that cost is not going to be a relevant factor in decision making. While I kept the Flare in this months buyers guide, having been able to get some face time with he Nitro 500D, I am wondering if that was the right decision.

Display. Both phones have WVGA (480 x 800) displays. The Cherry Mobile Flare has a nice sharp 233 pixels per inch (PPI). The Nitro 500D, with it larger 5-inch display has a much lower 187 PPI. Still, it is much more comfortable for things like browsing websites and the like.

Battery. I would say in this regard both are about equal for activities like web surfing, video playback and other tasks when the screen is on. The Flare has a 1500 mAh battery while the Nitro 500D has a larger 2000 mAh battery. The large 5-inch screen is much more power hungry though. The Nitro should have a big advantage in terms of talk time and battery life when playing music.

Power. The Nitro 500D is has a dual core MediaTek processor with a PowerVR SGX531 graphics chip. This is a fair bit more powerful than the dual core Qualcomm S4 Play with Adreno 203 graphics on the Flare.

I think this are the three most relevant points of comparison. Of course, the Nitro 500D is a much bigger, and bulkier device.

So what do you think. With low cost full sized smartphones available, is it time to ditch the Flare from the top phones list? Or is keeping a small option on the list a good thing?

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Smart Communications tested the next generation of LTE technology, LTE-Advanced, at the Kadayawan Festival in Davao City last week. Smart engineers were able to hit download speeds of over 200 Mbps using equipment acquired Huawei. Aside from Davao, the Smart Communications has already tested speeds of the new network in Metro Manila.

Smart Communications has not revealed it the company plans to deploy LTE-Advanced commercially.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

I have not been terrible impressed with Lenovo as a smartphone maker. I am not fond of Lenovo own flavor of Android. I am not impressed by the companies track record on updating the operating system on their devices. The phones they design are, in my opinion, uninspired. Still, a lot of people must like their phones as Lenovo has been climbing the smartphone manufacturers charts.

Lenovo has been releasing a dizzying array of models, a strategy successfully employed by Samsung before it. One of Lenovo's new offerings for the second half of the year is the Lenovo S820. The Lenovo S820 is a step up in design from previous Lenovo offerings. It also up the ante in the hardware department with a 4.7-inch 720p display mated to a quad core Mediatek Processor for a street price of Php12,600. Yup, this phone is priced to take on the likes of the Cherry Mobile Cosmos X2 and the Starmobile Knight.

Quick specifications:

Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)

4.7-inch HD (720 x 1280) display protected by Gorilla Glass

4 GB internal storage expandable via a MicroSD card slot

1 GB RAM

1.2 GHz quad core MediaTek MT6589W processor

PowerVR SGX544 graphics

12 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash

2 MP front camera

HSPA+

WiFi

Bluetooth

A-GPS

2000 mAh battery

The Lenovo S820 is an excellent choice at its price point, there is only one catch. This phone only comes in one color. A rather loud one at that. The S820 apparently only comes in Flamingo Red.

Arc Mobile's latest release should serve as warning that it is a serious contender in the local smartphone race. The Arc Mobile Memo is a 5.3-inch phablet which is priced at Php6,299. The specifications are pretty impressive for the money.

Quick specifications:

Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)

5.3-inch qHD (540 x 960) display

4 GB internal storage expandable via a MicroSD card slot

1 GB RAM

1.2 GHz quad core MediaTek MT6589 processor

PowerVR SGX544 graphics

8 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash

2 MP front camera

HSPA+

WiFi

Bluetooth

A-GPS

2000 mAh battery (user replaceable)

The Arc Mobile Memo clearly has the Starmobile Diamond V3 in its sights. It has the same screen size as the Diamond V3, at 5.3-inches, but the Memo has a higher resolution qHD (540 x 960) display, versus the V3's FWVGA (480 x 854) display. The Memo also has a more powerful processor being equipped with a MediaTek MT6589 processor, which should be 20-30% more powerful than the Qualcomm MSM8225Q processor on the Diamond V3. The Mediatek chipset on the Memo also has a HSPA+ (21.1 Mbps) radio, as compared to the HSPA (7.2 Mbps) radio on the Diamond V3.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Smart has made available its LTE services to pre-paid smartphone owners, available in ether Micro or Nano SIM. A Micro SIM will cost you Php40, while a Nano SIM will set you back Php100.

LTE brings data transmissions speeds of up to 42 Mbps. This is theoretical, and in real world use you should expect to achieve less than maximum due to factors like distance from the LTE tower, obstructions and weather.

Smart has listed of compatible phones on its website:

Apple iPhone 5

Huawei Ascend D1 LTE

Samsung Galaxy S4

Sony Xperia V

Sony Xperia Z

ZTE T82

Other phones like the Sony Xperia SP, ZL and ZR should work. Similarly, the new Nokia Lumia 925 is probably also compatible. But as they are not on Smart's list, it would be advisable to test these devices first. Some phones come in different variants which support different LTE bands. In order for a phone to work on Smart's LTE plans, it must be compatible with the 2100 MHz Band 1 frequency.

Smart's LTE service for smartphones is being offered on a time limited basis:

Thursday, August 15, 2013

CloudFone has launched its new 4.5-inch quad core Android phone, the Excite 450q. The phone, is priced at Php4,999, making it the cheapest quad core smartphone in the country, and that should be enough for it to sell well.

Still, in some ways it is hard to get excited about the "Excite". It is plus and minus. The fixed focus camera is really a downer. On the other hand you do get a bigger than average battery. It falls short on the looks department. But the price is really good. As for the RAM, 512 MB is what you can expect from a phone at this price range.

Quick specifications:

Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)

4.5-inch HWVGA (480 x 854) Super AMOLED display

Dual sim

4 GB internal storage expandable via a MicroSD card slot

512 MB RAM

1.2 GHz quad core Qualcomm MSM8225Q processor

Adreno graphics processor

5 MP fixed focus primary camera

VGA front camera

HSPA

WiFi

Bluetooth

A-GPS

1800 mAh battery

All in all, it makes an interesting alternative option to a Cherry Mobile Flare or Razor.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

We are seeing more low cost phones with 720p displays these days. The latest entry into the local market is Chinese handset maker Gionee. Gionee has just launched its Elife E3, a 4.7-inch Android (4.2 Jelly Bean) handset.

Like other similar offering it it powered by the 1.2 GHz quad core MediaTek MT6589 processor and 1 GB of RAM. It differs itself from the pack with 16 GB of internal storage. Storage is expandable via a MicroSD card. The Gionee Elife E3 is fairly compact. The phones dimensions are 137.5 x 68.4 x 7.9mm. It is not as compact as the Starmobile Knight, which measures 138 x 66.7 x 7.5 mm, but should feel better in hand than the 135 x 69.7 x 7.9mm Cosmos X which is a bit wider.

The one area of concern to most of us battery life. The Gionee Elife E3 has a 1800 mAh battery, just like the Cosmos X. Both of these are smaller than the2000 mAh battery on the Starmobile Knight. Like the Cosmos X, the battery is user replaceable.

All in all, it compares well with its competition in terms of specifications. When it comes to price tough, the Gionee Elife E3 seems price a bit to high. It has a suggested retail price of Php12,999. This is a lot higher than the Php11,299 retail price of the Starmobile Knight and the Php9,999 price of the Cosmos X.

Monday, August 12, 2013

Globe Telecom's offer on the Huawei Ascend Mate is a pretty good deal. The 6.1-inch Android phablet is free at Plan 999. The Huawei Ascend Mate is given a PV (Pero Value) of 600 points so you can get it with unlimited data and a Php101 balance for calls and SMS.

Plan 999 = 1,700 PV
LESS:

Huawei Ascend Mate = 600 PV

Unlimited Data Plan = 999 PV

Balance = 101 PV

Given the Huawei Ascend Mate will cost you Php16,000 to Php18,000 at retail, paying Globe Php23,976 over two years seems like a better deal. You will just be paying Php6,000 to Php8,000 more but you get a data plan and Php2,424 consumable over the next 24 months.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

I think lower cost phablets like Starmobile Diamond V3, Cherry Mobile Blaze 2.0 and MyPhone Aqua Iceberg might develop a very solid space in the market. Not just for people who like large devices, but for people who carry two devices too. See, I
am probably one of the most anti-phablet people on the planet, but the low cost phablet is starting to change my mind.

While I
have never been one to carry two smartphones, a lot of people do.
Carrying two devices is primarily done to take advantage of the services of multiple carriers. These days carrying a second device could also be done for other reasons. A simple feature phone gives you a nice compact device with
long battery life. A phablet would give you a larger display, which
would be nicer to use in some situations that your primary smartphone.

If
you see not in the habit of carrying two phones, now might be a good
time to start.

Phablets
can be had for pretty low prices these days, if you are willing to buy
one from one of the local brands. Since it will be backup device, perceive or
actual issues about reliability of local brands are not as important. While I would not want to spend Php25,000 on a backup device. Php8,000-12,000 seems like the right price for a backup device. At this
price range the Starmobile Diamond V3, Cherry Mobile Blaze 2.0 and
the MyPhone Agua Iceberg.

I
like the Diamond V3 best in terms of size, but the FWVGA display is a
bit of a downer. Given the limitations of Adreno 203 graphics,
this was probably a good design choice by Starmobile. The 5.3-inch display will also not
be to attractive to those whose primary phone is already 4.7 to
5-inches in size. That is where the 5.7inch Blaze 2.0 and Iceberg
come in.

Consider
it a battery life extension tool. Modern
Android, iOS and Windows smartphones these days have pretty good
battery life. Still it is just about to get you past a day. By
off-loading part of your work load to a phablet, you will extend the
life of your smartphone. Given that most high smartphones these days
do not have user replaceable batteries, this will also extend the
useful life of your primary device.

Pang
harabas. Nothing
kills your smartphone, and degrades its battery, faster than running it at high temperatures for
extended periods. Playing games on
a inexpensive phablet seems to make sense. Let the hear device be the
one to suffer heavy wear and tear from long 3D gaming sessions.

You
won't need two data plans. Most
of us switch between 3G/LTE and WiFi networks throughout the day, depending on
where we happen to be. You can make your smartphone your 3G/LTE
device, and your phablet a device you use while on WiFi.

Why
not a tablet? If
you already carry a tablet around all the time, you probably won't
need a phablet. But I think as compared to even smaller tablets,
phablets are just much nicer to carry around. They will fit a jacket
or pants pocket well enough, and slide into even the smallest of
handbags.They
are also more confortable to use when held up to your face with one
hand.

So,
if you are buying a second smartphone, my advice would be to make it
a phablet.

The Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite is a low cost version of the company's high end Series 9 Ultrabook. The ATIV Book 9 Lite replaces the aircraft grade aluminum case with a plastic one. The case is nicely built and overall shares the premium feel. Instead of the Intel processor found in the high end Series 9 laptops, the ATIV Book Lite uses a custom built quad core processor based on AMD latest A6 processor. The result of these changes is to bring the price down to just Php33,990.

The ATIV Book 9 Lite is a 13.3-inch laptop with a HD (1366 x 768) display. For an operating system, the ATIV Book 9 comes with Windows 8, and like a proper Windows 8 laptop, is equipped with a touchscreen. Samsung includes its SideSync software for easy operation with Samsung Android smartphones. SideSync will even allow you to operate your smartphone from the laptop.

What I really love about the ATIV Book 9 Lite is that Samsung did not scrimp of the hard drive. The ATIV Book 9 Lite is equipped with a 128 GB SSD drive. This allows the laptop to boot in less than ten seconds. The quad core processor and SSD drive, combined with 4 GB of RAM and a AMD Radeon 8250 HD graphics makes this laptop zippy enough for the average user. Samsung promise 5.5 hours of battery life.

The ATIV Book 9 Lite is 0.69-inches thin and weighs in a just under 3.5 pounds. Right now the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite looks like the best mid-priced ultraportable on the market.

Friday, August 9, 2013

There are two LTE enabled phablets in the Philippines right now. On the one hand, you have LG's Optimus G Pro. This is the more upmarket of the two offerings. It has a 5.5-inch 1080p display paired with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor and 2 GB of RAM. The bezel around the LG Optimus Pro's display is impressively thin, making it 4 mm narrower than the Samsung Galaxy Note II. Priced at Php27,990 it offers very good value for the money.

However, this nice piece of hardware, has two shortcomings. The LTE connectivity of the LG Optimus G Pro is limited to the 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz bands. This makes it incompatible with the Smart Communications LTE network. This is the reason why it did not make it to my Top Five Smartphone list. The LG Optimus G should work fine on Globe Telecom's LTE network.

The second shortcoming of this phablet is more subjective. It feels a bit old on launch. The phablet has gotten bigger. The new Samsung, Sony and Huawei phablets are now between 5.8 to 6.3-inches. Smartphones have gotten bigger, with Android flagship models now between 4.7 to 5.2-inches. This puts the LG Optimus G Pro somewhere between modern phablets and a modern smartphone.

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 is a more modest offering. It has a 6.3-inch 720p display. It has a dual core 1.7 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor and 1.5 GB of RAM. Pretty much, it is a step behind the LG Optimus G Pro in every category. It is cheaper though, and can be found for Php22,850.

Like the LG Optimus G Pro, the bezel around the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 is impressively thin. Now, I am not a person one who is fond of phablets. I find big smartphones awkward, and phablets even more ungainly. But I really fell in love with the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3. I don't like it as a smartphone, but I love it as a tablet. It is much more handy than a 7 or 8-inch tablet, and the screen is big enough for web browsing and reading. I was really tempted to buy it, but it is a bit expensive for a device which will be a third device backing up my smartphone and laptop. Small 7-inch tablets are priced much lower.

Despite the marginal specifications, I recommend everyone to give the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 a look.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

With laptop sales dropping due to increasing customer interest in tablets, Acer has really dropped the prices on some of its models. Tablets are popular, with people really taking to the touchscreen, and tablet prices going lower and lower, making laptops look expensive by comparison.

Can low priced laptops convince you to buy one instead? I doubt it. But if you are in the market for a laptop, the intense competition is good for the consumer.

Acer Aspire V5-121-C72G32AKK/BB(Php12,990)

The Acer Aspire V5-121-C72G32AKK/BB is an 11.6-inch laptop powered by a dual core AMD C-70 APU. It comes equipped with a 320 GB hard drive. Linpus Linux is the operating system provided. This is a nice portable package being just over an inch thick at the thickest point. The laptop weighs in at 3.1 pounds.

It does feel a bit sluggish with its AMD C-70 processor, and the battery is good for about 3 hours of web surfing on WiFi.

The TravelMate TMB113-E-10072G50akk looks like the better deal. It has the same specifications as its lower cost sibling, but it has twice the processing power with an Intel Celeron 1007U processor. It also has a larger 500 GB hard drive. The TravelMate branding is also associated with being a bit more upmarket.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Lenovo has updated its low cost S-series IdeaPad laptop with three new touchscreen models. The laptops are all small portable 11.6-inch models and Lenovo promises up to 6-hours of battery life. The least expensive model has an AMD E1-2100 APU, 2 GB of RAM and a 500 GB hard drive. The IdeaPad S215 is priced at Php17,990. As far as I know, this is the cheapest Windows 8 touchscreen laptop in the market. I would probably pass on this one though.

The Intel Celeron 1017u equipped IdeaPad S210 costs a fair bit more, at Php21,990. The Intel Celeron processor is almost three times as powerful as the AMD E1-2100. The IdeaPad S210's comes with 4 GB of RAM.

The IdeaPad S210 also comes in a Intel Pentium 987-equipped model at Php23,990. I am not sure if the Intel Pentium 987 will give better real world performance though. The Intel Celeron 1017u seems to perform just as fast, and the Intel Pentium 987 actually benches lower.

As with the start of every month, I do a survey of the available phones in the market divided into entry level, mid-range and top of the line models. A few interesting ones always do not make it to the list. These phones will appeal to a niche market, and hence still worthy of consideration.

One is the Huawei Ascend P6. The Ascend P6 is a 4.7-inch Android-powered phone with a quad core processor. Fitted with a 720p display and 2 GB of RAM, it is a reasonable enough proposition for its Php18,190 street price. The main claim to fame of this phone is its 6.2 mm thickness. The drawbacks are a smaller than average 2000 mAh battery and the absence of LTE. The absence of LTE knocked it out of contention on my mid-range list.

Then you have the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active and Zoom. The Active is a "ruggedized" but downgraded Galaxy S4. For those into outdoor activities, I would be happier with a Galaxy S4 in a tough case or, better, a Sony Xperia ZR which is small enough not to get too ungainly in a tough case. I wrote about my misgivings with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active at this link.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is more like a Galaxy S4 mini with a 10x zoom lens and optical image stabilization for its 16 MP camera. The asking price is pretty good Php23,940, but appeal is limited to a specific kind of buyer.

Well, those are the interesting devices that came out last month which you might want to take a look at.

Monday, August 5, 2013

If you have deep pockets, what smartphones should you be looking at? These are what I think to be the best five options at Php20,000 or higher. Keeping the list down to five is tough, and I had to drop the HTC One from the list. But the HTC One at Php30,990 is starting to look expensive. The Sony and Nokia models on the list got updated to newer and, in my opinion, better models.

All prices posted are for units covered by a manufacturer's warranty.

1. LG Optimus G (Php20,990) - Nexus 4 with LTE

The LG Optimus G is the phone on which the Google Nexus 4 was based. Basically, it is a Nexus 4 with double the storage and LTE, priced ironically a few thousand less.

Quick specifications:

Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)

4.7-inch HD (768 x 1280) display

32 GB internal storage, not expandable

2 GB RAM

1.5 GHz quad core Qualcomm Krait processor

Adreno 320 graphics

13 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash

1.3 MP front camera

LTE/HSPA+

WiFi

Bluetooth

A-GPS

2100 mAh battery

The LG Optimus G put together the best of 2012 technology. It won't stand up to the best of the 2013 offerings, but if you can get it at a bit over 20K, it is a very good value for money offering.

For the longest time, I have not had a phablet option on this list, with the only LTE phablets available being those found on the grey market. Now we have one, and it does make a grand entrance with a massive 6.3-inch display. The hardware is modest, but good enough for the asking price.

The Sony Xperia ZR is a scaled down version of the top of the line Sony Z/ZL products. Instead of a 5-inch Full HD display, you have a 4.55-inch HD display. Internal storage has also been reduced and the front camera is only a VGA unit. Other than that, the other specifications are unchanged, and its IP58 certified water and dust resistance makes it the best choice for the active user.

The overall package is nice and handy and, still packing a 2300 mAh battery, it does have excellent battery life (will be posting details on that soon). Best part is the battery is user replaceable.

The Nokia Lumia 920 was the best Windows Phone 8 device in the market, and the release of the Nokia Lumia 925 makes it even better. Basically, the Lumia 925 is a Lumia 920 which is 20% thinner and 30% lighter, but there is a catch. Nokia reduced the storage from 32 GB to 16 GB. So many might want to hunt down the older Nokia Lumia 920. Me, I really do prefer the newer lighter version. The Nokia Lumia 920 weighed in at all of 185 grams.

The 8 MP primary camera with Carl Zeiss Optics and optical image stabilization (OIS) is still there. OIS is only found on Nokia's high end 9 and 10 series phones and the HTC One. OIS uses a gyroscope to detect the motion of the phone and the whole optical assembly moves in the opposite direction to cancel out the movement. That happens 500 times a second. This really does wonders for HD video capture and helps in low light photography. Looks like Nokia also tweaked the software, resulting in the Lumia 925 producing better stills than the Lumia 920.

The Php23,500 price posted here is the suggested retail price. The other prices posted here are street prices, so I expect you should be able to find the Lumia 925 at lower than 23K.

Quick specifications:

Windows Phone 8

4.5-inch HD (768 x 1280) display

16 GB internal storage, not expandable

1 GB RAM

1.5 GHz dual core Qualcomm Krait processor

Adreno 225 graphics

13 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash

1.3 MP front camera

LTE/HSPA+

WiFi

Bluetooth

A-GPS

2000 mAh battery

The price of the Nokia Lumia 920 has dropped a lot since its release, and offers good value for the asking price.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is the fastest smartphone in the Philippine market. The only thing faster is the Korea only Galaxy S4 LTE Advanced. It has gobs of RAM, LTE connectivity, and an excellent camera. You can expand the internal storage and the battery is user replaceable.

There are very few bad things you can really say about this phone. The TouchWiz Enhanced has been given several features which is not necessarily a good thing. It has gotten to the point that it feels gimmicky. Another frequent complaint about the Galaxy S4, is that it is made out of plastic, and at this price, people want something more premium.

Quick specifications:

Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)

5-inch Full HD (1080 x 1920) Super AMOLED display

16 GB internal storage, expandable via a MicroSD card

2 GB RAM

1.9 GHz quad core Qualcomm S600 processor

Adreno 320 graphics

13 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash

1.3 MP front camera

LTE/HSPA+

WiFi

Bluetooth

A-GPS

2600 mAh battery

Wildcard: Apple iPhone 5 (PPhp31,300) - The best iPhone ever

There are plenty of reasons for wanting an iPhone. It gives you access to the Apple ecosystem of apps and services for one. In terms of ease of use, it is probably the simplest of the current mobile operating systems.

The Apple iPhone 5 is the best iPhone ever built. The main new feature of the iPhone 5 is the larger 4-inch (640 x 1136) display. You also get substantial hardware upgrades, with 1 GB of RAM, new dual core A6 processor and LTE making this twice as fast as the iPhone 4S. The A6 processor is built on 32 nm technology, which gives the iPhone 5 not only more power, but also better battery life than previous iPhones. The 8 MP camera is excellent, with only the camera on the Samsung Galaxy S4, and the dedicated camera phones being better.

The Apple iPhone 5 comes in three models, with 16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB of storage. Storage is not expandable.

Quick specifications:

iOS 6.1

4-inch (640 x 1132) display

16/32/64 GB internal storage, not expandable

1 GB RAM

Dual core A6 processor

PowerVR SGX543MP3 graphics

4 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash

2.1 MP front camera

LTE/HSPA+

WiFi

Bluetooth

A-GPS

1440 mAh battery

The iPhone 5 is getting a bit long in the tooth, and cannot match the performance of the latest Androids. The next model looks to still be five months away. So if you want an iPhone now, this is not a bad phone to live with for the next two years.